Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



Sept. 4, 1928.

A. J. SORENSEN RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed May 21, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nw N\ .NQ NSALSNN @SDU ATTORNEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 2l, 1925 A J SORENSEN RAI LWAY TRAFF I C CONTROLLI NG AP PARATU S INVENTOR Sept. 4, 192s.

,AA/L ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 4, 1928.

narran STATES PATENTy OFFICE.,v

ANDREW] J. SOR-ENSEN, OF WLKINSBUR-G, PEINSYLVANIA, .ASSTGNOR TO THE UNION S31/WITCH c SlGrI-TAL COMPANY, 0F SVSSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANTA.

RAILWAY-TRAEFTC-CONTROLLING APPARATUS,

Application tiled May 21,

My invention relates tol railway traiiic controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type comprising train carried governing means controlled by code impulse combinations received from the trackway.

l will describe several forms of railway trallic controlling apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

ln the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a view. partly diagrammatic, showing the trarliway portion of one form of railway trailic controlling apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing a modilied form of the trackway appara-tus illustrated in ltig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view, also partly diagrammatic, showing one form of train carried governing means suitable for co operation with traclrway apparatus illustrat` ed in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view showing a modilied form of the train carried governing means illustrated in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view showinga modified form of train carried governing means suitable` for co-operation with the traclrway apparatus shown in Fig. 2.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the reference cl ar-actors 1 and 1a designate the track rails of a stretch of railwaytrack. Means are prorided vtor supplying these rails with curront in the forni of code impulse combinations, the immediate source of such currents being a transformer T, the primary winding 2 of which is constant-ly supplied with alternating current from a suitable source not shown in the drawing. The supply of energy from the transformer T to the rails 1. and 1fL is controlled by a transmitter desigbythe reference character S,

, -ted ingcneral and comprising, in the form here shown, a rotatable shaft et, connected with a constant 1925. serial No. 31,754. n

movable contactarm 7 arranged to co-opern ate with a plurality of fixed contacts 8, 9, 10, etc., one for each code wheel. Each of thesel lined contacts is constantly connected with a brush bearing on the edge of the associated code wheel and designatedl by the same reference character as the correspond' ing contact, with the exponent a. By moving the arm 7 into engagement with the proper Contact, the secondary 3 .of transformer T may be 'connected with the. rails through any selected one of the codewheels. Although any reasonable codes may be used, I assume for the purpose of explanation that when contact 7-8 of circuit controller K is closed Ato connect transformer T with` the rails through codel wheel S, code impulse combinations are supplied to the track in the form of successive impulses each one half second long separated by time intervals of one second each. Current supplied in this manner I will call code I. With this example in mind, the characteristics of the various codes willbe readily understood from the table accompanying Fig. 1. In this table there appears, for each code, designated b a Roman numeral; the code wheel which gives the code;v

the time of closed circuit, that is the length of each impulse; and the time interval ofl open circuit, that is, the length of the: time interval between successive impulses. I

Referring now also to Figy, the train carried governing means comprises a pair of magnet-izable cores 13 and 13a carried in advance of the forward axle on a train W and disposed in inductive relation with the two track rails 1 and la respectively. Core 13 is provided with` a winding 14, and core 13EL is provided with a similar winding 14a, the two windings 14 and 14a beingy so connected in series that the voltages induced therein by alternating currents which flow in opposite directionsin the two track rails at any instant are additive. These two windings 14 and 14Ca are connected, preferably y through suitable amplifying apparatus 15, with a relay R, which relay is therefore energized during each impulse, and cle-energized between suchv impulses, in thecodeimpulse combinations supplied to the traclrway by transmitter The train carried apparatus includes a selector comprising a rotatable shaftrl suplos i ported by journals not shown in the drawing and operatively connected with a motor device G. The motor device G is provided with a circuit including a suitable source of energy such as a battery 17, and a frontcon- R. Motion of shaft 18 isre# amping device Q comprising tact 16 of rela tarded by a a damping vane 48 of electro conducting material. A U-shaped'magnctizable core 49, provided .with a `winding 5() constantly supplied with energy from a suitable source such as a battery 51, includes vane 48 between its extended arms. "The flux created in core 49 thereforepasses through vane 48, and retards the motion'of the vane in each `direction as will be readily understood. A

weight 68 attached to a flexible cord 67 i wrapped around the shaft 18, biases 4the shaft to an initial position in which vane 48 engages a fixed stop VWhen relay R isV l energized, motor deviceG rotatesfshaft 18 energized one and one half seconds are re`l in clockwise direction as viewed in the drawing. Motionin this direction is limited by aV fixed :stop 53 against which vane 48 abutsV at the upper limit of'its stroke.

The'parts are ipso proportioned and ar-4 ranged that when the motor `devi@l G is quired for'the shaft 18 to rotate to its extreme positionin which vane 48 is in engagement with stop 53. When the motor'device is Yde-energized the damping dev-ice Q so retards the motion ofthe vane that one and one half seconds are. also required for the shaft to return Vto its initial position under the influence of gravity lacting on weight 68 Attached to shaftlS and rotating theres withare two `contact disksl VD and E. Disk D carries atits edge threeV contact members 20, 21 and V22` insulated `from` the Vdisk and from each' other, and spaced at intervals around the edge of the disk. Disk VE carries three similarcontact members 24, and V26. A fixed Contact member Y19 is arranged to cooperate with contact members 2O,` 21V and 22 on disk D," and a similar' fixed contact member 23' 'is arranged to co-operatewith the vcontact members 24, 25 and 26; l When shalt 18 isfin the position illustrated in the drawing, that is, when. rmotori device G is deenergized and the shaft is heldin its initial position under the bias exerted by weight 68,

. alln of the lcontacts controlled by disks D and E are open. If Vmeter device G fbecome's energized, as bythe closing of front contact 16 of 4relay R, shaft V18 is rotated in a clock- `Wise direction as explained hereinbefore. If Vthismotion continuesu'ntil shaft 18 has com;l

pleted" about one fourthlof its stroke, con'- tacts 20,-19 and 24-23 are closed. VVhen Vthe shafthas completed about onehalf of its stroke, contacts 2145419 "and 25-28 become closed, and when the shaft `has completed about'three fourths ofits stroke, contacts 22-19 and 26-23 become closed. At the upper limit vof the stroke of vane 48 shaft lcontact 23-25,`wire 34,1Winding of a second slow releasing relay Il, wire 35, contact 21--`19, and wires and 33 back to battery 27.- Similarly,` when contacts 22-19 and 23-26 are closed current flows from battery 27, through wires 28 and`i29, Contact 22K-T26, wire 36, winding of a :third slow releasing relay C," wire 37, contact 22-'19 and Wires 32 and 33backto battery 27.

In explaining theoperation of the appai ratus I will first assumethat contact 7--8 of .circuit controller KA in Fig. 1 is closedV vso that the trackway is being supplied with impulse combinations` according to codev I,

thatV with alternating current which is broken up bycode wheel SIW into impulses of Aone 'half second duration. separated by Y time intervals of one second each. The first impulse received by relay R energizes the relay and supplies current VAto motor device G to move shaft 18 in a clockwise direction as hereinbeforeV explained.` fThis motion continues for one half second which is sutilcient to close'contacts 2,0-19 and 2.4--23 but is not sufficient to close contacts 21e-19 and 25e-23, At lthe expiration of this impulse relay R becomes' .de-energized and discon-V nects current from motor device G. During'the one second interval which elapses before the reception ofthe' next succeeding impulse, weight 68 returns the shaft to its initial position, which of course again opens thecontacts controlled by"A disks D and E. The next impulsefagain operates motor`de-` viceGr and contacts 20--19` and 24-23 are again closed fora briefcinter'val.'V It is i therefore clear that as long as impulse comloinations are supplied to thetrackway according to code" I, relay'A is supplied `with a surge of energy for each impulse of such code impulse combination.` VDue to its slow.

acting characteristics, this relay bridges the time i ter-vals whichv elapse between successive energization's. y y. i g

If circuit controller K is operated to close contact. 7-9, transformer T. isconnected with the track vrails,f throughVV codewheel S and the trackway is then supplied with Vcode impulse combination according to ycode II. During each impulsejof:` this code motor device "G is energized f'for one secondY and this time is sufficient to permit shaft 18.to move through approximately" one `half of its nesageerr stroke so. that. contacts 20'-19 and; 24e-2B* are first'V closed for ar brief interval, and subsequentlyv contacts 21,-19 and125n23. are closed; During the time interval elapsing. after` the completion of one impulse and beiiore the. beginning of. the next succeeding-Y impulse the shaft 1S returns to itsl init-iaiv posit-ion. In returning to this position the contacts 21-19, 20-19;.25-23 and Ql- 3 are again closed for a brief interval in the.

reverse order from the order in which they were closed on the energized stroke ot. the

shaft, 18. It will, therefore, be seen that as long-as the traclway is; supplied with code impulse' combinations accordingl to code ll,

relays A and. B are. periodically supplied with surges of current; These relays, beingl slow releasing, remainY in` their energized conditiorras longias this periodical energization continues.

Similarly, it' contact 7 1() ot circuit controller K is closed so that the traclrway is supplied with code impulse combinations according; to. code III, the shaft. 18l makes its full. stroke for each impulse, and returns to its-initialv position during each time interval between successive impulses. relays 11,413 and C is therefore supplied periodically with.r current and the parts are sorproportioned that under these conditions cachot' these relays remains in its energized l the` iniluenee ot weight 68 so that contacts 522-19- andv 2119 controlled by disk l) and contacts 26-23 and Qtr-23 controlled by disk E are closed but the remainingl contacts remain open. The next succeeding` impulse again moves shaft 1S- to the limit of its stroke defined by stop 53 and the shaft theretore. oscillates between tho position in whichk the-vane 18 engages stop .rand the position in which lined contact member 19 is intermediate members 2O and 21 on. the edge otl disk D and contact member 23 is intermedi-- ateV the contact members 2l and 25 on Vthe edge ot disk E. As long as this code is received, thereiore, relays B and C are intermittently energized and operate to maintain their front contacts closed, but relay il becomes cle-energized.

Finally, lv will assume that the. traclway is supplied withl code-impulse combinations Flach oi thev Under theseacccrding to code V, by closing contact 7-12 oiA circuit. controller l.

Since each impulse oil energy is ot one and one-halt second duration, shaft 1S rotates till vane 48 engages stop 53 duringl each suchr impulse. During each time interval. of one-half second between successive impulses, however, the shaft moves back, dueto weight (38, thereby closing contacts 22-19 and 26-23, but the other contacts controlled by disks D and E lremain open. lVhen Code V is supplied to the traclway,

then, relay C is intermittently energized and-v liolds its iront contacts closed, but relays A and i3 are both deenergized.

rlhe three relays A., B anl C may be util'- izedv to control trailic governing means oii any desired type. iis heie shown these relayscontrol a plurality oit signal lamps which are designated by the reference char acter J with a suitable subscript consisting ot a Roman numeral corresponding to the code by means cli4 which the corresponding lampy lighted. For example, when impulse combinations according to code l are transmitted to the trackway we have seen that relay ii isv energized and relays B and C are both ile-energized. Under these conditions iaii'ip .L is energized by current from battery 27 over a circuit'which includes :liront contact ll() of relay A, back contact 41 ot relay B and back contact l2 ot relay C. The circuits for the various lamps will beV obvious from. the. drawing without tracing them in detail. It should be pointed out, however, that should the traclway be continuously. supplied with alternating current or should the alternating current to the tracl; rails be entirely.Y discontinued, all of the contacts controlled` by shalt 18' would be open, and all relays fr, B and C would be cle-energized'.

Under these conditions the closing ot" bach:

contact 48 o't relay. A, bach contact lil ont relay ll and'lracl- Contact 45 ot relay C would complete al circuit tor a sixth lamp JW to display a distinctive indication correspondinn` to this condition oiV the apparatus.

Referring. now to litigi'. 4 the train carriedr ,(zweriiingV apparatus here shown dillers front the apparatuf-'s shown in Fig. 3 only in the manner ot controlling the signal lamps in accordance with the posit-ions oi" shaft 18. Relay B is controlled in exactly the saine manner as in 3 but relays i and C replacedby a single slow releasing polarized relay comprising a neutral contact (il and a polarized contact 65. This relay is provided with one circuit tromk battery 2T,

through wires 28 and 29, contact 523-24-, wires 30 and 46, winding ci" relay F, wires All' and 31, contact 20 19 wires 32 and 33 back to battery 27@ When this circuit is closed the current supplied to relay F is of such polarity that contact is swung to the left. A second circuit for vrelay F may be traced from battery 27, through wires 28 and 29, contact 23--26, wires 36 and 47, windingof relay F, wires 46 and V37, contact 22--l9,

andwires 32 and 33 backV to battery 27.` lVhen' this circuit is closed the polarity of periodically supplied with current of such polarity as to swing contact 65 to the left.

Due tothe slow actingr characteristic of this relay front contact 64 remainsclosed durT ing the time interval between successive encrgizations of the relay and lamp J1 is therefore energized continuously, relay B being (le-energized.

*lVhen contacts 20-19 and 21'-19 controlled by disk D and contacts 25-23 and 24-23 controlled by disk E are periodically closed, as when the trackway isbeing sup plied with code impulse combination according to code II, relay F is periodically supplied"withsurges of current which maintain Contact in'its left hand position and front contact 64 closed, and relay B is also periodically energized to keep its front contact 66closed. Lamp JH, isV under these conditions, continuously lighted.

Similarly, when code V is supplied `to the trackway, contacts 22*19 and 26-23 are Vperiodically closed, relayvFV is Vperiodically supplied with surges of currentof such polarity as to swing Contact 65 to` the right and the relay ofcourse maintains itsfront contact closed during the time interval between successive surges-of energy. lRelay B is deenergized and lamp Jv is lighted. If, however, relay B is also periodically supplied with energy, as when thej'trackway'is being supplied with code impulse combinations ac cording to code IV, lamp J 1v is continuously lighted as will be readily understood without further explanation. Should relays F and B become continuously cle-energized, as by the continuous supply off-,alternating.current to the track `rails or bythe complete interruption. of such current, lamp Jvlwould be continuously lighted. Referringnow to Fig.` 2, in theV modified form of transmitting apparatus here shown f the shaft 4 iszprovided with only three code wheels SI, SVH, Svm, eachfprovided with con# ducting segments 5 and insulated segments 6 alternately spaced about the periphery of tliewheel. The operation of the apparatus will be readily understood from the description of Fig. 1. Assuming thatthe parts are so arranged that shaft 4 makes one revolutionin 6 seconds, the characteristics of the impulse vcombinations suppliedA to the trackway for the variousy codes are as set forth in the table accompanying the drawing. v Y

The transmitting apparatus-illustrated in Fig. 2 is suitable for controlling the simplified form of train controlling Aapparatus shown in Fig. 5. controlledby a motor device G land a damping means Q in the manneralready described in connectionvwith Fig. In place of the two contact disks D and E, ho\vever,shaftl 18 in the form here shown carries a single contact disk H provided at its periphery with two spaced contact members and 56 arranged to 4co-operate with a fixed con-`V tact member 54. Vhen motor device vG is dcenergized, weight 68 holds the shaft 18` In Fig. 5 the shaft V18 is Y in its initial position in which the vane 48 abutsagainst fixedV stop 52. lVhen motor device Gris energized for one second the shaft 18 is rotated in -a clockwise direction until vaner48 engages lixed stop `53. When motor device Gr subsequently becomes de-f energized the vane 48 is sufficiently retarded by the damping device Qto` require onesec` ond to return to its initial position.V When shaft 18 occupies its initial position contacts 55-54 and 56-54 are both open, but as the shaft rotates due to actuation of -motor de- 4 vice G Contact 55-54i1s`first closed for a brief interval, Contact 564-54 is subsequently closed for a brief interval, and when the shaft occupies its final position, thatf is, when the vane 48-is arrested by stop 53, contacts s55-54 and 56-54 are `both open. The` contact disk H controls two slow releasing relays Al and B. The circuitfor relay A passesfrom. battery 27, through wires 57 and 58, contact 54-55, wire 59,- winding -of re` lay A and wires 60 and 61 back to battery 27. q

The circuitfor relay Bis tracedfrom battery 27,through wires 57 and 58, contact 54 56, wire 62,'wi`nding ofxrelay B, and wires 63 and 61 back to battery 27. Y lVhen relays A and B are both cle-energized, as when the trackwayis being supplied -continuously with alternating current `or when this supply iscompletely discontinued, .lamp J'vvis energized.v If thetrackway is being supplied with impulse code-combination according to code'y I, each impulse closes Contact 54-55-and completes the circuitf forrelay A so that 'this relay receives acting, retains its front contact Vclosed as long as this periodical energizatio'n continues and since relay B is dewenergized, lamp .II is continuously lighted. y pulse combinations supplied` to the tirack-` way areA controlled by code wheelSm, relays A and are each periodically energized and 4 y a` suijgeV ofenergyu Relay A, being slovs7` Y Similarly, if the im`r i the front contact of yeach of these .relays lis maintained in its closed position :so that lamp JVM is continuously lighted. In similar manner if contact 7-10 of circuit controller K is closed code impulse combinations are supplied to the trackway according to code VIII and relay B is periodically supplied with surges of energybut relay A is not supplied with such energy. Relay `B is therefore maintained in its energized condition and relay A is Cle-energized so that lamp J VH1 is continuously lighted.

Itshould be pointed out that with railway traffic controlling apparatus embodyingmy invention the train carried governing means comprises contacts which are selectively responsive tothe actual length of each impulse in such combination and also to the proportion of a given interval of time that such impulses are supplied. To state the matter in another way, the portion of the stroke of shaft 18 through which the shaft is caused to oscillate for any givenv code depends not only upon the absolute length of the impulse or the absolute length of the time interval between the impulses but also on the rat-io between these portions of each code impulse combinations, that is, upon their relative lengths. One advantage of my invention is that slight variations in the timing of the code impulse combination by the transmitter will not affect the accuracy of the selector device on the train. Anotheradvantage of my invention is that none of the parts need be delicately constructed or finely adjusted.

Although I have herein shown and described only a few forms of railway traflic controlling apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In combination, a member biased to one position, a motor device for moving said member from said position, damping means for retarding motion of said member, means for supplying said motor device with different code impulse combinations comprising impulses of energy separated by time intervals whereby said member occupies different other positions depending on the proportion of a given interval of time that said motor device is energized, and contacts controlled by said member.

2. In combination, a rotatable shaft biased to one position, a motor device for rotating said shaft away from said position, means for supplying said motor device with code impulse combinations comprising successive impulses of energy separated by time intervals whereby said shaft occupies different other positions depending on the proportion of a given interval :of time ,thatsaid .motor device is energized, a vane attached to said shaft, .a damping magnet `for retarding motion of said vane, and contacts controlled by sait. shaft. .e Y

In combination, a source of different code impulse combinations each comprising an impulse and a time interval, a member biased toan initial position, a motor device receiving energy from said source fon-causing said member :to oscillate through different positions depending upon the `proportion between the length of each impulse -to the total length of the combination vin the code impulse combinations supplied'to v.the motor device, and contacts controlled by said member.

4f. In combination, a member biased to one position, a motor device for moving said member from said position, means for supplying said motor device with different code impulse combinations comprising impulses of energy separated by time intervals whereby said member occupies different kother .positions depending on the proportion of a given interval of time that said-motor device is energized, contactscontrolled by jsaid mem ber, a polarized relay controlled by said contacts, and signaling means controlled by said polarized relay. f 5. In combination, a member-biased to one position, a motor device vfor moving said member from said position, vmeans for supplying said motor device with different code impulse combinations comprising limpulses of energy separated by time intervals whereby said memberl occupies different other positions depending on the proportion of a given interval of time that said motor device is energized, contacts controlled by said member, two relays selectively controlled by said contacts,.and signaling means controlled by said'relays.

6. In combination, a member biased to `an initial position, a motor arranged when5 energized to move said member to a second position, damping means for retarding the motion of said member, two contacts arranged to be open when said member occupies its initial position and also when it occupies its second position but to be successively closed as the member moves from said initial position toward said second position, and means for supplying said motor with code impulse combinations each comprising a comparatively long impulse and a comparatively short time interval for closing one only of said contacts, and for supplying said motor with code impulse combinations each comprising a com paratively short impulse and a comparatively long time interval for closing only the remaining contact.

7. In combination, a member biased to one position, a motor device for moving said l* member from said position, means for sup# plying said motor devlce with different code impulse combinations comprising impulses of energy separated by time intervals where by said member occupies different other positions depending on the length of each such.

' impulse of energy and also uponthe proportionof a given interval of time that said motor device is ener ized, and contacts controlled by said mem r.

8. In-combination, `a member biased to one position, a motor device "for moving said member from said position, means for caus ing eriodic operatlon of .said motor device for iferent proportionsof a given interval of time whereby said member occupies dif,- ferentother ositions depending upon the proportion oi) said. given interval of time that said motor device is operated and upon thek duration of each such 'periodic operation ofv themotor device, and contacts c'on- -trolled by saidmember.

. 9. In combination, a member biased to one position, a`- motor device `for moving said member from said position, means for caus ing periodic operation of said motor device 4for different proportions lof aA given interval V,of time whereby said member is constrained lto oscillate through a selected portion of its stroke depending on the rdurationof each such periodic operation of the motor device i andon the proportion of. said given interval of time'that said motor device isenergized, and contacts vresponsive to the position of Asaid member.

l0. In combination, a member biased to one position, a motor device vfor moving said member from said position, means for supplying saidV motor device with different code impulse Vcombinations comprising impulsesV of energy separated by time intervals where-` by said *member occupies dilerent other n positions depending on the length of each such time interval and also upon the propor- 4tion ofa given interval of time that said deivice is de-energized, and contacts controlled by said member.

11. In combination, a member biased to one position, a motor device for moving said memberfrom said position, means for su plying said motor device with different co e impulse 'combinations comprisingjimpulses of energy separated by timeintervals Whereby said memberoccupies different otherl lTI positions depending upon the absolute and relative values: of the lengths of said im# pulsesand said' time intervals, and contacts controlled by said member.

-12. In combination, a member biased to one position, a motor devicefor, moving.

said member fromsaid positiom means for supplying said motor .device withV dierent Vcode impulse combinations Vcomprising impulses of energy separated by time intervals impulse combinations; rcomprising impulses i Y of energy separated by timeintervals Where- Il by said member is constrained to oscillate through a selected portion of the stroke of the member de ending upon the absolute and relative va uesof thelengths of said impulsesand said time intervals, and con'- tacts controlled by saidmember.

ture. ,N t

t `ANDREW .I pSORENSEN. A

Y, V Y In testimony .Whereofl affix my signa- 

